5 Minutes With Randeep Hooda

Grazia: Are you into music? What gets you grooving?

Randeep Hooda: Yeah I am into a lot of music. I use to play saxophone. I took it up for 3 years and then stopped as it started affecting my voice. I think I am going to start again. Screw the voice, I am going to do what I like.

G: Who's your favourite artist?

RH: I have been listening to Charles Mingus a lot. He is a jazz musician and might be dead by now but he's really a big powerhouse. Other than him, I have Thelonious Monk on my playlist these days. I really don't know any current artists...I am into jazz and blues and I find all pop songs sound the same and that bores me to death. Pop singers are not hot anymore either. They are weird! I know I sound old but I am not. I think I was like this when I was 9 years old too.

We hear you are into equestrian sports like Polo and Show Jumping, and probably one of very few Indian actors who play professionally. How do you balance your time between these two passions?

RH: Yes, I am probably the only actor who plays professionally. The only other actor I can think of is Nana Patekar who took up shooting for a while. I don't think there is anybody else. I don't have to balance it out; being in the racecourse refreshes me. So it's a great release for me. People in movies business, like any other business, only talk about movies. You cannot be hanging out with them all the time. There are not many film people in South Bombay and when I come to the Mahalaxmi race course, it's really my own time with myself. I am not an actor there I am just a member of the club and I have been a member for a long time. The whole celebrity thing doesn't exist there and that's very refreshing and nice. It's a very enriching, meditative experience for me.

G: What's your sartorial style?

RH: I wear the same clothes all the time. I might have a whole wardrobe full of clothes but I always end up wearing the same things till somebody just throws them out. I think I been wearing the same T-shirt to bed for almost 8 years. It's very funny. I have no concept of my own image, I don't know how people see me or perceive me. I am always looking from within out... not outside in. I am not the guy who is obsesses over his looks or stares in the mirror before he goes out and in fact I don't even enjoy getting ready for shoots and makeup. I am so impatient with all that, I can't handle it. I prefer something quick' something I can put on quickly and take off quickly.

G: Noted! What do you prefer - Suits, or jeans and T-shirts?

RH: I love wearing suits. They fit me well and I can carry them but there are very few occasions where I can wear a suit. Usually, I am just in jeans and T-shirts.

G: You just spoke about maintaining an image, is there an image you have been knowingly or unknowingly creating for yourself?

RH: No, I think too much planning of your career and imaging does not work. And no I am not trying to create any image or anything I am being myself though I am drawn to a certain kind of roles which are not goodie two shoes and have certain amount of angst and meat to chew on in the roles. Apart from that I am not going on for any image; I would like to do a lot of different things.

G: What's your most favourite thing about being in the movies?

RH: The fact that you are able to live different lives without dealing with real consequences of it.

G: And the least favourite?
RH: Least favourite is...doing promotions and all that stuff. Getting pictures clicked for magazines and interviews (laughs).

P.S. I love you Randeep. DeepTi. Sounds lovely. ❤️